The United Kingdom has announced an increase in the fees for student and tourist visas, aiming to allocate more funding to the public sector, as confirmed by the UK's Home Office on Friday.
Starting from October 4, 2023, the cost of a tourist visit visa for stays of less than six months will rise by £15 to a total of £115, while student visa fees will increase by £127 to reach £490.
The Home Office justified these fee hikes by emphasizing the vital role that income from visa fees plays in maintaining a sustainable immigration and nationality system in the UK.
These changes come just months after the UK previously announced increases in visa application costs and health surcharges. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, in July, explained that these fee adjustments were necessary to support increased public sector spending without resorting to tax hikes or additional borrowing that could worsen inflation.
The fee hikes will also impact most entry clearance fees and certain applications for leave to remain in the UK, including those for work and study. However, it's worth noting that these changes do not include the planned increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which is scheduled to be introduced later in the autumn.
The fee adjustments are pending parliamentary approval before they can take effect.
